The Triumph of Identity Politics Is Not Equal Treatment for All

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Liberal media’s erasing Richard Grenell from history is frightening but that’s what progressives do.

14 Comments for “The Triumph of Identity Politics Is Not Equal Treatment for All”

  1. posted by Kosh III on

    Grennell was not a Secretary of ___________. He was a Director, a high level spot but not a Cabinet member.

  2. posted by Jorge on

    I find the accusation that Buttigieg is an affirmative action cabinet pick more than a little offensive, because it’s being made without any facts or events to support it. Instead, what is being said about him is evidence of incompetence. So the argument is that because he’s incompetent, he must have been picked because he’s gay. To pick out of a whole range of possible reasons his sexual orientation as a source of derision for being nominated is a disgraceful and disgusting thing to say about a person and a group of people. It is a blight to humanity that this idea is being reported by one of the most premier organizations on the right based on an interview of someone with as much name recognition of Mollie Hemmingway.

    The knock that Buttigieg is where he is because he is gay is one that belongs to a very specific period in his history and his country’s history, and that period is over. He is no longer running for president. Get some new material, or shut it.

    • posted by Ricport on

      “I find the accusation that Buttigieg is an affirmative action cabinet pick more than a little offensive, because it’s being made without any facts or events to support it.”

      When Biden himself said he was choosing his Vice President based solely on their gender and race, and when he, Harris, and the rest of the Dems have been popping their buttons about filing cabinet posts based first on gender/race/etc., I’d say it’s entirely reasonable to assume that Buttigieg was yet another Affirmative Action pick.

      And as far as incompetence, The criticisms I have heard are less that he’s incompetent, and more along the lines that he’s arguably far more qualified for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, especially given his background and less-than-stellar record with transportation as mayor.

      IMO, this particular pick was one of the few so far that was not first and foremost about race/gender (God forbid Biden chooses someone based on actual qualifications first); rather, it’s extremely likely this one’s about political payback (a la Obama and Hillary).

      • posted by Jorge on

        When Biden himself said he was choosing his Vice President based solely on their gender and race, and when he, Harris, and the rest of the Dems have been popping their buttons about filing cabinet posts based first on gender/race/etc., I’d say it’s entirely reasonable to assume that Buttigieg was yet another Affirmative Action pick.

        Great. That’s at least *some* kind of factual justification.

  3. posted by Tom Scharbach on

    With respect to the kerfuffle in the right-wing commentariat, I note, as Grenell himself did, that (a) he served as Acting Director of National Intelligence for about three months, neither nominated for the post of Director of National Intelligence nor confirmed by the Senate, and (b) there is a difference between a temporary, acting posting to a Cabinet-level position and actual nomination/confirmation to the Cabinet.

    That is not to say that we shouldn’t honor Grenell’s service to the nation, respect Grenell’s faithful service to the Republican Party, and acknowledge Grenell’s loyal service to President Trump.

    It is to say only that he was neither nominated nor confirmed to the Cabinet, as, Mitch McConnell willing, Pete Buttigieg will be confirmed in time. In that respect, the media is accurate.

    • posted by Jorge on

      That is not to say that we shouldn’t honor Grenell’s service to the nation, respect Grenell’s faithful service to the Republican Party, and acknowledge Grenell’s loyal service to President Trump.

      Personally I’m mostly hoping Buttigieg doesn’t acknowledge him so as to make what I would consider to be a mistake. But for the reasons you mention I don’t even think Biden made a mistake in his language.

      That period in history is not over, not in the least, as the conservative commentariat is currently making as plain as a goat’s ass, both with respect to Buttigieg and Grenell. Most Americans may have moved beyond that period in history, but conservatives have not.

      Using the term “history” may have been a little misleading. I meant to focus on Buttigieg personally. The problem I run into is that I do think he was an affirmative action presidential candidate. And then, once he got his foot in the door, he developed a record. He should be judged by that record.

      For example, he endorsed Joe Biden for president–give him spoils.

      He his city’s police shooting protests–dump him in something never talked about where he can’t do any harm. (This could be framed a few other ways, too.)

      That this very simple line of reasoning is available is more than enough reason not to invent anything without at least some small facts to back it up.

      The mere fact that one could spend more time talking about his weaknesses than his strengths does not mean everyone else must think the same way.

    • posted by Ricport on

      The Dems and their willing, obedient lickspittles in the mainstream press have given the word “contortion” new meaning with this little exercise. I’m old enough to remember when Linda Chavez, Elaine Chao, and others were the first (insert race/gender here) Secretary/Cabinet member, but were NEVER fawned over by the MSM to the sickening extreme Biden’s picks have, and the guy hasn’t even taken office yet.

      We’re going from Trump saying he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue, shoot someone and not lose (his) voters, to the MSM being nothing more than Biden cheerleader/apparatchiks.

      • posted by Jorge on

        I’m old enough to remember when Linda Chavez, Elaine Chao, and others were the first (insert race/gender here) Secretary/Cabinet member

        This is literally the only place on the internet where I feel like the baby, but with that Linda Chavez reference that time is rapidly running out 🙂

  4. posted by Tom Scharbach on

    “The knock that Buttigieg is where he is because he is gay is one that belongs to a very specific period in his history and his country’s history, and that period is over. ”

    That period in history is not over, not in the least, as the conservative commentariat is currently making as plain as a goat’s ass, both with respect to Buttigieg and Grenell. Most Americans may have moved beyond that period in history, but conservatives have not.

  5. posted by Tom Scharbach on

    The problem I run into is that I do think he was an affirmative action presidential candidate. And then, once he got his foot in the door, he developed a record. He should be judged by that record.

    I don’t think that Buttigieg was an “affirmative action presidential candidate” at any point in the campaign, and I don’t think that he was treated as one by Democratic primary voters.

    Buttigieg positioned himself as a small-town moderate, veteran and policy wonk, not as a “gay” token, and did very well in early primaries — 25% in Iowa, 24% in New Hampshire, 17% in Nevada. His campaign foundered because he never picked up support from African-American voters, and he pulled out of the race, endorsing Biden, before Super Tuesday.

    But you can think of him however you want. If you want to turn him into the second coming of Fred Karger in your head, feel free.

  6. posted by Tom Scharbach on

    President Trump has again made LGBTQ history by appointing Richard Grenell as the first openly gay goy appointed to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. The president appointed Susan Levine (VP of the American Zionist Movement) and Martin Oliner, (President of Religious Zionists of America), to the council.

  7. posted by Doug on

    The Right’s silence regarding many of Trump’s cabinet being manifestly unqualified and their scandalous behavior proves they have no intellectual honesty to criticize Biden’s cabinet.

  8. posted by Kosh III on

    If your Identity was white and/or male and/or rich you were always more equal than the rest. But don’t let hypocrisy stop you.

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